Breakfast program
In our last State Budget, the Palaszczuk Government invested $2.7 million in our school breakfast club program, helping families with cost-of-living pressures.
Our government wants to give every child a great start to the day, beginning with a healthy breakfast.
This investment will see breakfasts served to kids in need each week for the next two years, because no child should go without.
It’s good for busy families, it’s good for children, and it is providing real cost-of-living relief to Queenslanders who need.
Queensland’s strong economic performance means we’re able to provide more cost-of-living support to vulnerable Queenslanders and their families.
This month I dropped by the Marsden State School breakfast club to thank the team and help some of our bright young students start the day in the right way.
The breakfast program there is run by amazing volunteers through a collaboration between the YMCA and Food Bank.
The breakfast was a huge hit with students who were hungry for the toast, especially with jam on top.
The program not only provided good nutrition before a big day of learning, but the children were happy to be having breakfast together.
Deadly Kindy Barringah
One of the best parts of my job is the opportunity to be a part of success stories, and it’s especially satisfying to see that success taking place in Woodridge.
At the end of last month, I was able congratulate Deadly Kindy Barringah celebrate its 40th anniversary.
An incredible institution which focuses on culture, connection, and community.
Deadly Kindy Barringah coordinates quality early childhood education and care with our existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Communities Health Services such as speech and occupational therapists to ensure our children are thriving in a culturally safe environment.
When I was the Health Minister, I was pleased to work with the then Minister for Education on “The Deadly Kids, Deadly Futures: Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Ear and Hearing Health Framework 2016-2026.”
The framework was launched in March 2016 with the aims to prevent and manage the high rates of middle-ear disease and associated hearing loss.
Hearing problems can have a major effect on a person’s journey through life.
Sadly, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have one of the highest rates of middle-ear disease in the world.
The framework was an important step in the Palaszczuk Government’s landmark 10-year commitment to closing the gap in health and education outcomes for Indigenous children.
That’s why Deadly Kindy Barringah is so important, all the children there receive health checks upon or before enrolment.
They also work with speech and occupational therapists regularly, affording early assessments and interventions.
It is a great local achievement.
Another great local achievement is how they are connected through culture and language.
They are immersed in programs that value and build on practices shared by families.
I don’t think we spend enough time in Australia reflecting on the value of what takes place in places like Deadly Kindy Barringah every day.
Or reflecting upon our good fortune that we live in a country which celebrates learning at the centre of its culture, and champions the right of every child to a quality early education.
So it was special to be able to celebrate the life changing work that has been a daily occurrence at Deadly Kindy Barringah for 40 years.
DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE
I encourage domestic and family violence support providers across all of Logan to apply for a new grant program to assist victim-survivors with housing issues.
The last thing a victim-survivor of domestic and family violence desperately requiring accommodation needs is more stress about having a roof over their head for them and their children.
I am very proud that the Palaszczuk Government has allocated $2.5 million to assist victims-survivors in all parts of Queensland.
And I would like to see the excellent organisations we have in the Woodridge Electorate and broader Logan area make the most of it.
The new $2.5m DFV Rent Assist Brokerage scheme was launched by the Palaszczuk Government this month and could be a gamechanger for people in the community who are facing domestic and family violence.
The grants could be used for covering rental arrears, where debt presents an imminent risk of homelessness, rental debts from a previous tenancy that would inhibit a private rental market application, rental assistance, or the cost of repairs to damage to a rental property caused by DFV.
Logan domestic and family violence support providers could receive up to $50,000 to assist victim-survivors of DFV to either secure or maintain housing.
It is important providers lodge their applications for funding by November 16.
In addition, service providers have flexibility in the way they distribute funds which can also be tailored to a client’s needs, including purchasing food or even white goods.
Access to funds has been streamlined with minimal red tape, allowing successful service provider applicants to provide much-needed support for victim-survivors in a swift and cost-effective manner.
To be eligible to receive a grant organisations must be an existing funded DFV service, delivering support to people experiencing DFV, have a suitable brokerage policy and procedure demonstrating their expertise in delivering the program.
The organisations must also have the capacity to administer and distribute the grant funds by 30 June 2026 within a local integrated service system.
Successful applications will be announced as soon as possible.
For more information and to lodge an application, see the DJAG web page: https://www.justice.qld.gov.au/initiatives/dfv-rent-assist-brokerage-grants.
